Guest Author - Susan Stewart

Grilled meat is a definite part of Mexican cuisine. The addition of chilies and spices, along with some great side dishes, is all you need to have a Mexican barbeque! Be sure to serve cheladas and salsa – check out the links below. Here in Mexico, you can buy arrecheras sealed in plastic with their marinade in the grocery stores. They are very easy to keep in the freezer, and defrost quickly in warm water. Here’s a recipe to make them from scratch:

Arracheras

2 to 2 1/2 pounds skirt steaks, trimmed
Juice of 6 limes
2 tsps. chili powder, or to taste
6 garlic cloves, minced
Salt, to taste
1 to 2 medium onions, sliced thick
Vegetable oil
Flour tortillas, warmed

Place meat in a shallow pan. Combine lime juice, chili powder, and garlic, mix well, and then pour over the meat. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, turning the meat occasionally. Remove the meat from the refrigerator and drain it. Salt the meat and let it sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes.
Coat the thick onion slices with the vegetable oil. When the grill is ready, place the steaks and onions directly over the heat. Grill the meat to desired doneness. Let the onion cook until soft and a little brown.
Slice the steaks against he grain, diagonally into think strips. Either divide the onions into rings, or chop roughly. Serve the steaks and onions together with the flour tortillas.

Fajitas

Fajitas are simply marinated strips of meat or vegetables, cooked quickly over high heat. You can use beef, pork, chicken, tofu, just vegetables – or anything you like! If there’s any leftovers, they can easily be added to quesadillas for a great lunch the next day.

Marinade:
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bottle of beer, or ¼ cup tequila
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried, crushed oregano leaves
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded, and minced
3/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup olive or vegetable oil
Fajitas:
1 - 1 1/2 lbs. boneless beef, chicken, pork, or firm Chinese tofu
1 large white onions, peeled and cut in half and thinly sliced
2 large bell peppers, one green and one yellow or red, seeded and cut into thin slices
Flour or corn tortillas

Combine the marinade ingredients. Trim and cut the meat or tofu and the vegetables into thin strips. (If using tofu, press first to remove excess moisture). Combine gently with marinade.
Heat a large griddle over the grill or on the stove, then add oil and heat until almost smoking. Add the marinated meats and vegetables and stir-fry until browned. Serve with tortillas, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.